Map Contest/Archive 24

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Contest 24: Modern Election (Monday, April 27th - Monday, May 11th)

Create an electoral map of any country after the results of an election are released. This election can be a general election (president, prime minister) or a congressional/parliamentary mid-term election.

You may use any country you want, so if you want to draw up a map of alternate Turkey, Afghanistan or Mexico, that's perfectly fine.

The only provision is that it has to be modern - preferably in the 2005 - 2015 range, but I'd also think it'd be very interesting to depict maps as far back as 1945.

Basically the US adopted a parliament early into their constitution as it was what people were most familiar with, and our story goes from there.

Deadlock (Scraw)

‹ 2004 2012 ›

United States presidential election, 2008

November 6, 2008

Nominee

Barack Obama

John McCain

Party

Democratic

Republican

Home state

Illinois

Arizona

Running mate

Joe Biden

Tim Pawlenty

Electoral vote

269

269

States carried

23

27

Results of the election in the Electoral College

President before electionGeorge W. BushRepublican

PresidentBarack ObamaDemocratic

For the 2008 presidential election, John McCain selects Tim Pawlenty as his running mate and also campaigns more extensively in certain states. McCain wins more states than he did in OTL, especially ones where Barack Obama's margin of victory was incredibly low. This results in the Electoral College votes being split 269-269 between Obama and McCain. The election is thrown to Congress, but a President is not selected in time for Inauguration Day. However, the Democratic majority Senate chooses Joe Biden as the Vice President, and he becomes the acting President until a president is selected. After multiple rounds of voting, the House of Representatives chooses Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. However, the entire election proves the many flaws in the Electoral College system, so America starts down the path of ending it and bringing about a new system of electing officials.

Spring Lane ~ Colourful Elections -Seiga

In an alternate 2012 elections, held on December 16th, the Democratic Party of Japan had managed to win another successful election, and saw the further decline of the Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition; and Yoshihiko Noda from the DPJ remained Prime Minister. The Liberal Democratic Party in this timeline was somewhat similar to OTL's up until the early 1990s when the corruption scandals by the Liberal Democrats was even worse from OTL, and saw a major decline in members. In the 1996 elections, Ichirō Ozawa of the New Frontier Party had won and became the next Prime Minister.

In the Japanese general election of 2005, the Liberal Democrats made a brief comeback and Shinzō Abe managed to become Prime Minister after narrowly defeating Katsuya Okada of the Democratic Party. However, new controversies had arose during Abe's term in office and after another scandal, Abe resigned in 2008. In the 2009 elections, the Democratic Party managed to come back into power again, and managed to achieve better results than OTL, and successfully implemented several of its proposed policies, and also formed a coalition with the Japanese Communist Party.

As of 2014, the current Prime Minister of Japan is Banri Kaieda from the Democratic Party after Yoshihiko Noda resigned due to the term limits of the Presidency of the Democratic Party.

So I was definitely inspired by Lynx's slideshow. I thought it was a great idea, so I may or may not have copied it for my own submission; 3. Kudos to Lynx.

Anyway, I developed a mental back story for this little country called Northland.

We begin in 1982. In my mind, Northland is a pretty powerful country, but nowhere near projecting the amount of political, military, and cultural power the OTL U.S. does today. Basically, Northland is akin, influence wise, to countries like Sweden, Denmark, perhaps the Baltic, and maybe more well-to-do South American nations like Argentina and Chile. In essence, Northland is American-cultured, but a regional power. The country is a mix between a parliamentary and U.S.-like government, and is led by a President. An Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the country, with a House of Representatives and Senate representing the lower and upper house, respectively.

So, in 1982, we have the leftist Northstar Progressives competing with the right-wing Conservatives in the Federal Elections. The battle is fierce in places like Virginia, Florida, East Florida, and Delmarva. However, in the west, such politics are ignored as Cheryl Miller-led nationalists in Texas and Mexico become increasingly popular. In the Yucatán, Puerto Rico and western Cuba, the Caribbean Liberals achieve victory on their platform of closer integration with Northland, social liberalism, and economic sustainability.

Taking key northern states and urban centers, the Northstar Progressives, led by Trevor L. Waits, won in 1982 as the Conservatives were left fruitlessly competing with nationalists and liberals.

From 1982 - 1986, Waits embarked on several domestic reforms, aimed at revitalizing cities in Virginia, New Coventry, South Carolina, and Cuba following the 1970s Recession. Finding initial success, Waits was unfortunately met with opposition in the Assembly in 1985 as the economy began stagnating. The President then turned his attention toward diplomacy and foreign affairs, brokering good relations with North Columbia, England, France, and Brazil, while attempting to placate nationalists in Texas and Mexico.

The 1986 elections then arrived. Despite his rocky urban revitalization initiative, Waits secured the Presidency as the Conservatives suffered under ideological splits and a lackluster campaign. During his campaign, President Waits promised greater integration with Texas, Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico, and further introduced plans at greater territorial expansion in the west, claiming that he reached deals with the leadership of the Ohio Valley concerning the purchase of several regions from the failed, poverty-stricken country.

However, Texas Nationals, still led by the fiery Cheryl Miller, totally rejected Waits' plans, fearing that federal tyranny would rob the country of independence and take control of Texan oil fields. In late 1986, weeks after the election, Cheryl Miller convened the Texas State Assembly and convinced them to declare independence. The Mexican assembly followed soon after, and by January of 1987, two of the country's most prized western states were gone.

War was declared by President Waits on January 16, 1987, and forces were immediately mobilized. Initially, Waits enjoyed high popularity and was applauded for defending his country and vowing to take back rebellious territory. However, the situation soon changed. From January to June, 240,000 young men and women were killed in an incredibly brutal war that spanned the borders of Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Texan armies fought passionately for their homeland and pushed even harder into Northland territory. Aided by Mexican patriots, the Texans routed Northlander armies at nearly every turn and every battle. By July, the Northland Army was entirely demoralized. The only true successes came with the Navy. Composed of the New Coventry, Cuban, and Floridian fleets, the sea forces were able to enforce a successful blockade of the Texan and Mexican coasts. Although trade and transportation was unfettered for the two rebellious states, the blockade prevented any devastating Texan attacks on cities such as Havana, San Juan, Miami, Washington, or New York. The Texans, instead, got their supplies and support from the neighboring country of California.

The situation was soon realized to be futile as the states of the Yucatán voted to stay out of the war. While still remaining loyal to the Federation, Yucatán caved into exterior pressure as Mexican armies threatened to raze the country and then annex it. In response to this, Waits placed Yucatán under martial law and sent a force of 190,000 to march north to Mexico. The campaign, in short, was a total disaster, claiming 100,000 lives by mid-September.

Convinced that Waits was doing a terrible job, the Federal Assembly convened in October of 1987 for special elections. Promising to fight harder and strategize smarter, Conservative leader and former North Carolina Governor Max Hoover wooed the hearts and ears and nearly everyone in the country. President Waits was butchered on the campaign trail, and only took the loyal states of Delmarva and New Coventry.

Hoover won the election, and immediately scaled down the number of troops in 1988, but continued to fight the war. By mid-year, it was clear that Northland was losing the war, and both rebellious states were inevitably going to go independent. As a last ditch effort, Hoover initiated a scorched earth policy, sending several armies into Texan territory to raze cities and destroy the numerous oil fields that made Texas rich. Mexico was largely ignored as a resurgent Yucatán, freed from military rule, trampled over the southern reaches of the country. By 1989, Max Hoover appealed to the Assembly for an end to the war. Texas and Mexico would remain independent, but only if they pay Northland a series of heavy, expensive concessions for the next fifteen years. The two countries were incredibly devastated, and the Assembly felt a vindictive, vengeful justification when they voted to release Texas and Mexico but only if the two became virtual tributary states.

1990 dawned as Max Hoover enjoyed extreme popularity in nearly ever corner of the country. Delmarva Senator Carl Pearson replaced a disgraced Trevor Waits as Northstar Progressive leader, and still was only able to take the leftist states of New Coventry and Delmarva. Hoover on the other hand, snagged every other state and took the conservative portions of eastern Cuba. Filling the liberal gap in Florida, Caribbean Liberals made advances as well.

Hoover's first full term was marked by economic expansion following stagnation and small recession in the 1980s. For the first time since the late 1960s, in fact, did the economy do so well. Championing a balanced budget, with a "responsible governmental" role in economic regulation, where only the most basic of economic regulation was enacted, Hoover maintained his popularity. Still sapping concessions from Texas, Hoover drifted leftward when it came to immigration and refugees in the country. As thousands of impoverished Texans poured into the country, the Assembly enacted a series of reforms, allowing for greater paths to citizenship for those they saw as "oppressed countrymen".

Internationally, Hoover abandoned Waits calls for Ohio annexation, stating that "Territorial expansion is the last thing we need right now". Instead, beginning in 1992, Hoover helped create several state-level programs aimed at modernizing the coal industry in Kentucky and western Virginia, as well as rebuilding the destroyed railways after they were devastated by Texan forces in 1987. In the southern states, especially Georgia and South Carolina, Hoover and the Assembly went left once more as they began subsidizing several solar, nuclear, and biothermal power companies, in turn giving life to the growing green power economic bloc in the region.

Because of his attention to power and energy, Hoover became known as the "Energizer President" in his 1994 federal campaign.

However, cracks began showing in the financial world in 1992. Most notably was the Ashbrook-Kowalski Scandal in November of that year. Ashbrook-Kowalksi Solutions, one of the largest energy companies in Northland, was immersed in corporate turmoil after it was revealed that several of the company's top members were engaged in insider trading, corporate espionage, and tax evasion. News broke in 1992, but mysteriously went quiet in December after CEO Janet Milton resigned. Being the only person who resigned, national press remained extremely skeptical, and further probed the issue. The situation exploded in May of 1993 when it was found out that several Ashbrook-Kowalski board members bribed government inspectors, lawyers, and judges in order to keep the case shutdown.

Max Hoover, familiar with the company due to his initiatives with green power, immediately condemned the company. Despite his condemnation, his popularity fell sharply as Ashbrook-Kowalski was being torn apart in federal court. By mid-year, the company was liquefied as nearly 90,000 people in Georgia and Florida, as well as Virginia and Delmarva lost their jobs.

Madeline Florence, a political strategist and Northstar Progressive as well as former attorney general for Virginia, led the crusade against Ashbrook-Kowalski in 1993, and it essentially made her career. As Carl Pearson retired from public life that year and later died, Florence was primed to become the next party leader. That year, her party overwhelmingly voted her as their new leader and championed her as the one who would bring a corrupt Max Hoover down.

The 1994 elections did not bring Hoover down, but it strongly mitigated his previously impervious popularity. Delmarva went solidly for Madeline Florence, who promised to repair the country after Ashbrook-Kowalski's collapse. A large minority of voters went Progressive as well. In Florida and East Florida, also reeling from the collapse, went for Caribbean Liberal candidate Miguel Sheridan.

Florence also attempted to woo Georgia voters on the same issue, promising that as a dark-horse candidate unburdened by political incompetence and vitriol, she would give thousands of jobs back to all workers crushed by the Ashbrook-Kowalski collapse.

Despite her tireless campaigning, voters were still distrustful of Progressives after their failures in the Texan War of 1987. People still adored Max Hoover. A 1994 court case ruled that President Hoover had no connection with Ashbrook-Kowalski, and this ruling won him the election.

Focusing more on the coal industry than his first term, Hoover created the Department of Coal and Industry in 1995 to better oversee industrial efforts in Kentucky and Virginia. As the local state economies boomed in those states, national economy dipped as inflation rose coupled with unemployment. A few brief recessions occurred over the next few years as Hoover's popularity slowly dropped.

In 1996, Max Hoover launched another economic program, this time favoring the most minimal of government regulation in the economy. Reducing the powers of the Departments of Consumer Protection and Commerce, Hoover courted the votes and influence of the richest New York, New Coventry, and Virginia businesses. He promised an age of "free market heaven", as he geared up for a possible third campaign.

His fortunes soon faded as his stagnating popularity turned to blatant unpopularity. Another company, this time New York's AltoTech, was found to be embezzling funds for a possible future Hoover campaign. AltoTech was rocked in another court case that gutted the business leadership of the corporation and resulted in another string of job losses. Max Hoover could not recover from this scandal, and in late 1996, announced he would not run for a third term.

During the AltoTech scandal, political leaders like Madeline Florence mobilized in order to have a shot at winning the 1998 elections. Finding common ground with Miguel Sheridan and the rest of the Caribbean Liberals, Florence merged the two parties together in 1996.

The new Progressive-Liberals, as they begun to be known as, campaigned vigorously in the country in 1997 and 1998. They cited Hoover business-failures such as the recent AltoTech scandal as well as the Ashbrook-Kowalski collapse. Florence also lambasted the Hoover administration for overly-harsh measures on Texas and Mexico, and a complete abandonment of Yucatán, as well as important foreign issues.

The Conservatives were in no match to go against Florence, themselves reeling as their once-idol Max Hoover was marred by two major scandals. Hoover was now regarded as financially corrupt industrialist. Instead, focusing on a socially-right wing, economic moderate, they chose Ben Kuzacha as their candidate. Kuzacha, a Mississippi native, campaigned on the basis of "Conservative Renewal" and increased involvement in foreign relations, especially concerning Texas, Mexico, and the Ohio Valley Republic.

In Louisiana, the Catholic Party rose, led by Dennis McDaid. McDaid gave Louisianians a far-right candidate they wanted out of Hoover and Kuzacha, but failed to receive. McDaid only achieved popularity in Louisiana and parts of Mississippi, but never-the-less became a popular figure with his platform vowing to fight against immorality, liberal onslaughts, and "godless politics".

As expected, Madeline Florence won the election, snagging the Caribbean, the Yucatán, all Northern states plus North Carolina, as well as both Floridas. The Conservatives remained strong in the South and in Kentucky, where Hoover's Coal programs were continually feeding a healthy economy.

Along with electing the first left-wing candidate since 1986, and the first woman president ever, the Assembly also elected a diverse range of politicians, notably including a large Progressive-Liberal majority. The first bill passed by the new Assembly session was the creation of a Department of the Caribbean and Yucatán. The bill passed through both Assembly houses and landed on President Florence's desk on February 16, 1999. The Department creation solidified Florence's support in the Caribbean, where her mission became to bring Caribbean business and culture to mainland Northland and vice versa. The Department also oversaw commerce, industrialization, health, and education in the region as well.

Yucatecos were much less enthusiastic about the bill. While remaining loyal, many on the peninsula saw the new Department as too nosy and intervening. Furthermore, the merger of the Caribbean Liberals left a power vacuum in Yucatán, where many longed for another local, leftist group to arise. Founded in 1998, the Reform Party of Yucatán accomplished that mission. Founded by those skeptical of Madeline Florence, the party gained significant popularity in the peninsula. Party founder Lucia Menendez Garcia became a household name. In 2001, speaking at a local convention, future party leader Bernardo Ramirez questioned Progressive actions, including the creation of the Yucatán Department. "Do they not trust us? Why is the question of our loyalty always brought up? ... Yucatecos are Northlanders, and Northlanders are Yucatecos." He reasoned, affirming Yucatán loyalty while voicing the concerns many Yucatecos had after the Progressive-Liberal insurgence in 1998.

On the mainland, President Florence put a cap on coal industrial expansion in Kentucky while convincing the Assembly to transform the Department of Industry into the Department of Western Development, aimed at reducing the importance of coal and instead focusing on health, education, agriculture, and biotechnology. The Department came into effect on the first day of 2001, and gave Florence the reputation of "Department Queen".

In terms of foreign relations, Madeline Florence, and her diplomatic advisor Tim Fleece, courted the leaders of the poverty-stricken Ohio Valley, hoping to purchase the region of Ohio. No deal was made however, and slightly tarnished Florence's foreign relations credibility. Florence did find achievements in dealing with Texas and Mexico however. She ended concession payments while simultaneously encouraging emigration from the still-devastated countries. Across the continent, Florence attempted to foster positive relations with California, but fell short of any meaningful advancements as the Pacific-coast country was still raw over the 1987 Texan War.

Domestically, President Florence launched a child-poverty bill in 2000, attempting to alleviate the stresses of children in Louisiana and Mississippi while also trying to weaken the grasp the Catholic Party had on the states. Introducing a bill that year, Florence appeared to be making progress, only before the bill was gutted in Congress and barely a skeleton of her original vision made it into law. The Catholic Party thus remained strong in the southwest.

Despite her varying failures and successes as President, Madeline Florence remained very popular and was able to win the 2002 election. Championing her status as "Department Queen" and anti-poverty advocate, Florence won traditionally Conservative states like Kentucky, South Carolina, and eastern Cuba.

Conservatives attacked her a despot and someone who has done nothing but abused presidential power and launch failed programs. The Conservatives quickly made Tennessee Governor Leslie Shearman as their party leader and candidate. Unfortunately, Shearman could not charm audiences like Florence could, and only won core Conservative states such as Georgia, Alabama, and his home state of Tennessee.

Apart of the Conservative loss was the continually strength of Dennis McDaid's Catholic Party. Expected to die out before 2000, McDaid took his home state of Louisiana, and captured Mississippi and Puerto Rico as well. In the South, Conservatives and Catholics engendered a very strong mutual hostility and inadvertently gave the victory to the Progressive-Liberals.

In Yucatán, the Reform Party won the entire peninsula under the fiery activity of Lucia Garcia, but a long collapse began at this time as well. Lackluster campaigning in Cuba as well as the lack of passion among grassroots organizers gave the Reform Party a sour reputation.

After winning her second-term, Florence turned once more toward Ohio. The Ohio Valley Republic had recently come out of a two year civil war, in which the previously nativist, isolationist government was forcefully replaced by a pragmatic, centrist one. Sending Tim Fleece to the country, President Florence attempted to once more buy Ohio off from the destabilized country. The OVR, facing another civil war and economic collapse, sold Ohio to Northland in June of 2003. The sale became a huge success for Florence and immediately opened up the once impoverished region to settlement, renewal, and development.

Since the Ohio region was under the eye of the Department of Western Development, several agricultural and industrial companies were subsidized, and the coal industry continued to flourish even under restriction and regulation. "Department Queen" enjoyed significant popularity in the following years, even after she announced she would not be running for a third term in 2006.

Other than the Ohio Purchase in 2003, Florence's second term remained relatively quiet. The Catholic and Reform Parties struggled as many began retreating back under the wing of establishment parties. In fact, the retreat was so strong that the Catholic Party collapsed in 2004 and the Reform Party was disbanded shortly after the 2006 elections.

The 2006 elections thus proved to be very interesting. With Madeline Florence retiring, the Progressive-Liberals chose House Majority Leader Amanda Sheridan, daughter of Caribbean Liberal Miguel Sheridan, as their party leader and Presidential candidate. The Conservatives chose former Lieutenant and Texan War veteran Michael Palnick as party leader.

Promising to halt territorial expansion, remove bureaucratic complexity caused by Florence, and restore socially conservative values, Michael Palnick seemingly took the country by storm. His anti-department stance did not appeal to Kentuckians who benefited under the Department of Western Development, but it did appeal to Ohio residents, and he was able to take the state.

Due to the collapse of the Catholic Party and assassination of Dennis McDaid by the hands of left-wing extremists, Palnick took Louisiana and Mississippi as well. He blamed the death of McDaid on "Liberal scheming" and was able to earn southwestern votes on his platform of social conservatism and economic austerity. Further winning previously liberal states like Delmarva and New Coventry, Palnick was more poised to win the election.

The Progressive-Liberals, on the other hand, were only aided by Amanda Sheridan's energized demeanor and star-studded running mates like former diplomat Tim Fleece. The loss of Ohio, Delmarva, and New Coventry were devastating to the Progressive-Liberals, despite their balanced platform of social centrism, economic hands-off, and limited territorial expansion.

The Reform Party once more won Yucatán, but was marred by a series of scandals, unpopularity and lack of campaign funds. Party leaders Bernardo Ramirez and Filippa Georgio would disband the party in 2007.

Because of the lack of Catholic competition and the obtaining of states like Ohio, Delmarva, New Coventry, and eastern Cuba, Palnick won the 2006 election and became the President of Northland.

Initially being wary of expansion, Palnick gave into Assembly pressures in 2007 to purchase more lands from the quickly dismantling Ohio Valley in 2007. Yet another Civil War struck the country later that year, causing a nationalist government unwilling to sell territory come into power. The Northlander government was then struck with a brick wall.

However, the Ohio Civil War brought more changes, and in 2008 a moderate government in control of several stump states agreed to sell Michigan to Northland, only on the condition that it be annexed into Ohio state. Palnick agreed, and his diplomacy convinced the Ohio Valley leadership to sell him the Indiana and Missouri territories in 2009.

Palnick then turned to domestic issues. He defunded the Department of Western Development and gave renewed impetus to the coal industries in Kentucky, as well as the lumber and agricultural industries in Ohio. On the east coast, the President continually courted the rare conservatives in places like New York City, New Coventry, and Washington, as well as Delmarva and Maryland.

After Michigan was annexed into Ohio, Palnick began visiting there frequently while encouraging business leaders to set up shop in the northern parts of the country. Urban renewal projects for places like Detroit and Toronto, eagerly embraced by Progressive-Liberals, were shunned by Palnick.

Going in to 2010, Palnick was neither popular nor hated, and pundits called him the embodiment of modern conservative politics. Despite his apparent non-status, Palnick was able to hold onto New Coventry, Delmarva and Ohio, while capturing Kentucky, eastern Cuba, and southern Yucatán. The Progressives held onto core territory, as well as gaining parts of liberal Yucatán, western Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Also, for the first time in decades, only two parties competed in a federal election, whereas previously, three or four competitors was the norm.

President Palnick was a rock star on the campaign trail, while his Progressive opponent, former diplomat Tim Fleece was seen as weak, flabby and non-passionate.

Palnick won the election of 2010. However, this victory would be one of his last.

Beginning in 2011, large economic crisis began in the western states, especially Kentucky. Coal fields began turning up dry as more and more people lost their jobs. In turn, railways and various other western industries which relied on coal power, spiraled into collapse. By 2012, the recession spread to Michigan, by then a separate state from Ohio, and Tennessee. A second economic crisis began concurrently in New York as railway, coal, and industrial stocks crashed because of the crisis. Unemployment lept to 10% within months, and nearly 16% by year-end.

Many blamed Palnick for the crisis, stating that his de-regulation of the coal industry and defunding of the Western Development Department caused about the crash and depression. The crash soon became known as "Palnick's Coal Folly" and fanned distrust against Conservatives.

Even after receiving heavy criticism from the press, and after his advisors pressed him not to, Michael Palnick launched a third campaign on April 16, 2013, hoping to capture the presidency in 2014. His slogan was "I am sorry", and he appeared to be taking blame for the crash. Pundits immediately accused him of spinelessness. He toured around the country to half-empty auditoriums and a hostile public.

Progressive-Liberals once more elected Amanda Sheridan as leader and candidate. She herself campaigned round the clock, especially in hard hit areas in Kentucky, Ohio, and western Virginia.

Sheridan was not only able to win back Kentucky, but also New Coventry, Delmarva, southern Yucatán, and eastern Cuba. She was also able to win Louisiana (a first for Progressives in decades) as well as the recently admitted state of Indiana.

Filippa Georgio, former Reform Party bigwig, refounded the party as the New Reform Party and won states in Yucatán, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.

Poor Palnick won only Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Needless to say, Palnick lost in 2014 as the country had only just begun to stabilize economically.

It is now 2015, and Amanda Sheridan is President of Northland. Unemployment is at 11%, with the coal industry still on its head. The Department of Western Development now covers Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. President Sheridan has once more regulated the coal industry and gave more focus to financial, commercial and agricultural advancements in the region. She enjoys a popularity of 65% nationwide as the territories of Missouri and Illinois are set to become states in 2016.